Meridith
Meridith is a girl's name of Welsh origin.
Meaning
Great lord or protector from the sea.
Origin and history
Meridith is a variant spelling of Meredith, an ancient Welsh name derived from Meredydd. It historically meant 'great lord' or 'sea lord' and was traditionally a male given name in Wales before becoming predominantly female in the United States. In recent years, this alternative spelling has become quite rare in U.S. birth records.
Popularity in the United States
2,652 babies in the United States have been named Meridith since 1880. It ranks #3428 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #2095.
States where it is most popular
- NY (24.4 %)
- TX (16.3 %)
- CA (12.1 %)
- IL (10 %)
- OH (7.3 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 7 |
| 1940-1950 | 111 |
| 1950-1960 | 144 |
| 1960-1970 | 227 |
| 1970-1980 | 888 |
| 1980-1990 | 655 |
| 1990-2000 | 357 |
| 2000-2010 | 188 |
| 2010-2019 | 69 |
| 2020-2029 | 6 |
Nicknames
Merry, Meri, Dith
Fun facts
- Meridith is an alternative phonetic spelling of the standard Welsh name Meredith.
- While originally a masculine name in Wales, both Meredith and its variant Meridith shifted to predominantly female usage in the United States during the 20th century.